Friday, April 30, 2010

foto friday 30 april 2010

The last few days we have had clouds moving up above, I noticed really lovely shadows on the fence at the side of our carpark. My friday foto I feel like part of the shadows, blending into the fence...... The sun is brighter here and the shadows darker...............

And back behind the clouds, I do like the shape of these lovely arching branches against the blandness of the fence. Such a fresh green after the dull greens of summer.......
Because the sun is going in and out of the clouds, when it comes out it is so sharp, hence the squinting, of course the fact I am uncomfortable having my photo taken......

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Anzac Day

Yesterday was ANZAC day, Australia, New Zealand Armed Corps, I think I got that right. A day to remember the brave service men and women from Australia and New Zealand who fought for their country in the first and second world wars and those since. Australian organisers came up with some stupid idea that the children and grandchildren could not march in the parades for the dawn service, fortunately New Zealand doesn't seem so narrow minded. Sometimes I think the people who come up with these ideas are too filled up with their own importance. These men and women sacrificed their lives to protect and preserve their home lands as they knew it, did these men who made these decisions even put their life at risk for their country. I know my dad did, and he would find the idea preposterous, in fact he didn't go to any of the parades and I only remember him going to one of the reunions, he wanted to move on with his life and not let the fact that he fought in a war define who he was. Not that he didn't think about his friends and comrades that did die, but he preferred to keep it private. I think he thought a lot of them used it as an excuse for drinking booze and he certainly had the right to that opinion.


My dad is the middle one in the bottom row with the black curly hair. This would of been taken in the desert of El Amien, can you see the tent to the left this would of been where they slept and stored their belongings, must have been very hot, they are not wearing their uniforms.

In this photo you can see a bit more of their army camp. Looks like early morning shaving. My dad told me sometimes it was so hot that they slept outside the tent, until one morning he woke with a snake curled up on his belly, bet he would rather have woken to enemy gunfire than a snake on his belly. Like most people I wish I had asked him more about his time when he came home from the war, he had a wonderful sense of humour and I am guessing this and a wonderful extended family helped him settle back into civilian life, also it wasn't like the war ended and he was shipped home, he had gone home to NZ on medical leave after 3 years and refused to go back, he went AWOL and then served in the army in NZ in the Prison of War Camp guarding mostly Japanes POW's. I remember you dad and am so thankful you came home to become my wonderful dad. Love you always and forever. We will not forget!

Friday, April 16, 2010

foto friday 2


Thursday we had a torrential downpour, gutters just could not keep up. It was like standing behind a waterfall, luckily the chairs weren't out, they would have been drenched, can you see the water on the bricks a little lake going on there.


My friday foto was taken from the same spot the next day, rain all over. This is our meeting room, where we hash out ideas and plans, coffee breaks and even lunch is spent out here. After the rain the birds go crazy, they enjoy it as well. As the school holidays are on, I am on my own so its a good chance to catch up on some of the magazines for inspiration.

This is some inspiration I found in an older Somerset Studio. Photo on the right is one photo and the same photo printed onto a transparency with the back painted with Titan Buff acrylic paint. Best to allow your transparency to dry completely, maybe a week, then paint fairly thickly on the back with Titan Buff, try not to paint over your painted area to much as it can drag your image. Looks like an old tin type photo, I am impressed, I can use this technique in my vintage journals.

Friday, April 9, 2010

our shop

Hi, here are some photo's of our shop window, a vintage vignette. We will be letting our shop go early in October, I love our shop but sometimes you have to weight things up and make decisions if this is the best way to go financially or if there is a better way. We have decided that we can do better without that financial outlay and put our time and effort into a different direction. We will still operate the business but from home, with our online shop and hire floor space for classes and workshops, this will leave us the freedom of time to follow other avenues, mine will be to travel around this great big state, teaching and demonstrating the products we love. We will also do the fairs etc. And I have a really interesting project for next year, you will have to wait to hear about this one. Following are photo's of the shop window and in the shop.

Enjoy your weekend
Jacky

foto friday

Aaaargh well I finally did it. Do you know how hard it was for me to take my own photo and then put it on my blog, really uncomfortable. As a young girl (gee when was that) I never thought about what I looked like, I was just to busy being me. Only in later years have I avoided having photo's taken, I think in the world today it is all about how you look, and if you feel you don't measure up you change the way you look, mmmh how much that would cost and how much art stuff or travel could i do with that money. Well I don't want to be judged anymore on how I look, yes I am ageing, it has always been my opinion (usually try to keep this to myself) that we all have our time in the sun and that is up to when we are about 30 or so, accept that and let the next generation enjoy their time in the sun. By this time you should have grown in other area's so it does not matter. Me personally, I know I have grown creatively, I am not a great artist but I am proud of what I do. This has nothing to do with how I look, so under this shell of a body is a creative spirit that has now emerged and I will embrace it. No no no, surgery or anything else for me, if you don't like how I look, don't look at me, I wont mind one bit. I'd rather you looked at what I am doing. I have too much living to do.
Well there you have my first foto friday well the photo was taken on Friday in our studio at the rear of our shop, relatively clean for us! Damn when i look at the photo that is real clean...

Friday, April 2, 2010

Happy Easter to you all

Last weekend classes went really well. The class at Bunbury Catholic College was a joy, they where so eager to soak up as much as they could in the very short 2 hour classes and the time just flew, no time to be creative but there was enough teachers there to guide them through the techniques they missed.
Good news on Johns car, on the way back we had an appointment to see the Insurance assessors, they put up special posts to get everyone through as quick as possible. Johns car was assessed as repairable, it was borderline, there was only two door panels without hail damage and if they had also had damage it would have been written off. Its good news because he loves his car! Could be up to 6 months or more before it can be repaired but it is drivable so no biggie.
Hope you all have a peaceful Easter and stay safe on the roads. We are staying at home, too many hoons on the roads.
cheers
Jacky